BALTIMORE, MD – Junior Luke Scoggins (Merrick, N.Y./Sanford H. Calhoun) belted the first home run of the season for the Valiants, but the Manhattanville College baseball team fell 2-1 to Johns Hopkins University Saturday afternoon from Babb Field at Stromberg Stadium.

Manhattanville (2-2) put men on base in seven innings, but failed to get past second base in each of the first four innings against Johns Hopkins' (4-3) starter Sean McCracken. Frank Clara launched a 2-out solo home run in the bottom of the fifth off senior Anthony LoFaro (Haworth, N.J./Northern Valley Demarest) for the game's first run.

Scoggins singled, then stole second and senior Danny Gallagher (Nanuet, N.Y./Paramus Catholic) singled him to third with two outs in the top of the sixth, but freshman Jack Matero (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) grounded into a force out, ending the threat.

Mike Smith singled home Clara in the bottom of the seventh, adding what would be a key insurance run for the Blue Jays. Scoggins, who also recorded five putouts in center field, knocked one over the right field fence the next half inning.

In the top of the ninth, after sophomore Peter Iannarilli (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) was hit by a pitch, classmate Matt Lynch (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) sacrificed him to second. Junior pinch-runner Kieran Corrigan (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) advanced to third on a balk by Josh Hejka, but sophomores Luke Tebolt (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) and Joseph Silvestri (Bronx, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) both struck out swinging to end the game.

The Valiants will remain in Maryland tomorrow for a 12:00 p.m. first pitch against Salisbury University.